Category Archives: Book Review

This week on Romance Writers Weekly, Brenda Margriet asks authors, Would You Rather:

Be invisible or read minds? I’d go crazy hearing others thoughts whether about me or not. Being invisible would be more fun. Probably could make money as a private eye. 🙂

Own a ski lodge or a surf camp? There is a serenity in both worlds. Forced to choose, as a beach lover, I’d have to go with the surf camp.

Be a dog named Killer or a cat named Fluffy? A Basset hound named Killer and owned by my husband because the three Bassets we’ve had over the years could do no wrong in his eyes. They were treated like royalty!

Like this:

Today I’m happy to interview Brenda Margriet’s heroine and hero of her new release, When Time Falls Still. For a little bit of background on Charlotte and Justice before we chat with them:

Professor Charlotte Girardet is focused on one thing – securing tenure at a large, prestigious university.

Her career is firmly on track, but her life is complicated by her attraction to rough and rugged security guard Justice Cooper. It isn’t only Charlotte’s heart in danger, however. Tensions blaze on campus after several students are viciously attacked.

Struggling to balance her ambitions and her growing passion, Charlotte takes a leap of faith, and trusts Justice with her deepest secret. But when the assailant’s attacks escalate to kidnapping, will Charlotte have the chance to decide between her long-held dreams or a new life with Justice?

Sounds exciting. Nice to meet you both. Are you ready to answer some questions?

Charlotte: Absolutely Dani, and thanks for having us.

Is there a specific body type, hair, or eye color that attracts you? Does your current lover meet the criteria?

Charlotte: This is easy for me to answer, and Justice already knows the truth. No—he was NOT someone I expected to be attracted to. My lover before Justice was a sophisticated, urban, intellectual type. And a jerk, in the end, but that’s neither here nor there. Justice is this big, hulking guy with scars and a rather intimidating look. He is an intellectual, which just goes to show you shouldn’t judge people by their appearance. But everything from his lifestyle to his job to his stubborn insistence that he is always right should have turned me off.

Justice: You’re no sweet little fairy yourself, Charlotte. But I’ve decided I like to have a good armful of woman. As for stubborn—pot, meet kettle.

I’m also familiar with that trait in my spouse, Justice. Where were you when you lost your virginity?

Justice: Really? Who picked these questions?

Charlotte: Blame Brenda for that. You go first.

Justice: (Sigh) Fine. Junior hockey road trip, back of the bus.

Charlotte: Last year of undergrad, just before convocation, my apartment with my roommate’s brother.

Justice: Late bloomer, where you?

Charlotte: I had other priorities. Like getting my degree.

Justice: I have never met a more focused person. I still have to wrestle you away from your work.

(Laughs) I’ve never interviewed a couple before, but I gotta say this is fun! How do you stay fit?

Charlotte: I like to run, usually on a treadmill. But Justice got me into boxing, as well.

Justice: She packs a pretty good punch. I don’t have much time for formal workouts, but I still love to get out on the ice as often as I can.

A couple that spars together stays together, ah…what is your favorite piece of clothing to remove from your lover?

Justice: Charlotte wears these long sweater dress things—

Charlotte: Knitted tunics.

Justice: Whatever. They hang just below her ass, and then she wears these tight stockings—

Charlotte: Leggings.

Justice: I don’t care what they’re called. But I love to peel them off you, lift up the hem of your tunic, and—(unintelligible whispers)

And one more thing! I’m giving away 5 copies of When Time Falls Still. Enter here http://gvwy.io/t9drasv by April 15th for a chance to win!

Thanks Brenda now let’s give readers a little blurb and excerpt. Great having you all here today!

Blurb:

Professor Charlotte Girardet is focused on one thing – securing tenure at a large, prestigious university.

Her career is firmly on track, but her life is complicated by her attraction to rough and rugged security guard Justice Cooper. It isn’t only Charlotte’s heart in danger, however. Tensions blaze on campus after several students are viciously attacked.

Struggling to balance her ambitions and her growing passion, Charlotte takes a leap of faith, and trusts Justice with her deepest secret. But when the assailant’s attacks escalate to kidnapping, will Charlotte have the chance to decide between her long-held dreams or a new life with Justice?

Excerpt:

Charlotte braced herself against the motion of the elevator, but not before her breasts, protected only by thin fabric and thinner lace, brushed Justice’s chest. He was standing so close she felt overwhelmed. Not intimidated—he didn’t scare her—just…swamped by his nearness.

Or maybe it was the heat in his eyes.

Ocean depths had nothing on the blueness searing into her, she thought wildly. Vertigo weakened her knees, but she couldn’t look away.

“I—” She broke off, swallowed, and tried again. “I don’t know what to say.” He toyed with the end of her braid, and she swore she could feel the touch of his fingers fizzle up the strands, down her spine and into the soles of her feet.

“Did you honestly think I wasn’t attracted to you?” His voice rumbled, low and sexy.

The doors slid open. Thank God the hallway was empty. Her legs felt disconnected from her body, but she managed not to stumble. She unlocked her office, seeking refuge inside. Justice followed.

“Charlotte?”

He wasn’t going to let it go. Perseverance was his greatest strength—and his most irritating habit, she thought peevishly. “I threw myself at you and you walked away.”

“I just about took you up against your front door.” Frustration coloured his tone. He scrubbed his hands over his close-cropped head.

“Fine. Maybe you were right.” She lifted her satchel off her shoulder and tossed it into a nearby chair. “Maybe I wasn’t thinking clearly enough.”

“Maybe.” He crossed his ankles and leaned against the wall, the casual stance belying the tension evident in the fists jammed in his pockets, the set of his shoulders. “Now what?”

“I don’t know.” The collar of his uniform jacket had kinked up on one side. Without thinking, she stepped forward to smooth it down. He caught her hand and held it. Her fingers curled into his.

The connection felt good. It felt right. Maybe she should stop thinking altogether, and just go with her gut.

She never did that. She planned and researched and debated and planned some more. Trying to regain her equilibrium, she tugged away and escaped behind her desk.

“Let’s look at this rationally,” she said. His scarred eyebrow arched and amusement flickered in his face, but she battled on. “We are both healthy, single adults. For some reason, we seem to have strong physical chemistry.”

“Some reason?” The amusement was uppermost, now. His lips remained firm and straight, but she could see it in his eyes, as usual.

“Don’t take this the wrong way, but you are not the kind of man I ever thought I’d be attracted to.”

​He lowered his lids and regarded her through narrow slits. “Right back at you.”

She bristled, but took her own advice and let it go. “Regardless, we could take advantage of this mutual appeal.”

“There’s the professor I know and…admire,” he murmured.

She ignored the sarcasm. “I’m only here for a few more months.” The exam today was the last she needed to invigilate. As soon as they were marked and the results submitted, she was flying out to spend Christmas with Sonny and family, returning a few days before the start of the winter session. “Are you in any of my classes next semester?”

He shook his head, watching her closely.

“Would you consider a short-term, exclusive relationship, with a predefined end date?” There, she thought. That sounded mature, sensible. No need to let emotions colour what promised to be a satisfying adult affair.

He straightened from the wall, looming to his full height. “Would this so-called relationship be strictly physical? Or could it involve social aspects as well?”

Once again, she sensed an underlying current of laughter, but she ignored it. “I can’t see why not.”

“And it would come to an end the same time as your contract?”

“Or earlier, of course, should either of us find it no longer meets our needs.”

“I thought English professors were supposed to be romantic.”

Romance. Love. That’s what hurt you. Sex, on the other hand, was just sex. “Not all of us.”

Reviews:

If you’re looking for a great contemporary romance, WHEN TIME FALLS STILL is the book for you. The romance between Justice and Charlotte was full of ups and downs but their connection, friendship and attraction a constant. A fantastic introduction to a new-to-me author, I will happily browse through Brenda Margriet’s backlist.

Margriet’s voice produces a smooth flowing narrative, intriguing sexual tension, and a well-plotted romance that takes it’s time developing as Margriet sets out to address and resolve the internal issues of the protagonists while flirting with a light suspense filled subplot.

Brenda Margriet write contemporary romances with heroes you’d meet at the grocery store. And by that she means real-life men – sexy, smart and looking for the love of their life. Her heroines are bold, savvy and determined to accept nothing less than the man they deserve.

A voracious reader since she was old enough to hold a book, Brenda’s idea of the perfect holiday involves a comfortable chair near the water (ocean, lake or pool will do), a glass of wine, and a full-loaded e-reader.

She lives in Northern British Columbia with her husband, three children (all of whom are taller than her) and various finny and furry pets.

Join Brenda’s newsletter and be the first to know about new releases and other exciting news! Plus, receive a free c-copy of her short story, The Life She Had Before.

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